Today I was moved to the very center of my being as I watched Bryant Johnson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s personal trainer for the past twenty years, approach her casket and do push ups in her honor.

Justice Ginsburg never stopped her workouts.  She did push ups regularly, even during her cancer treatments. I have often marveled at her workouts with him.  She was so physically, emotionally, and mentally strong! I honored her life by incorporating some of her yoga-like workout moves into my online yoga sessions on Monday and Tuesday this week.   Based on the RBG workouts, I incorporated and adapted variations on the following:

Push ups = Yoga Push up (Chaturanga Dandasana)

One-legged squat = Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana) and Variations on Eagle (Garudasana)

Plank Pose arms extended = Yoga Plank Pose (Kumbhakasana)

Plank Pose on elbows = Variations on Dolphin Plank and Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)

Side Plank = Yoga Side Planks on fully extended arm and on elbow (Vasisthasana)

In addition to a yoga themes, I begin each live-stream online yoga class with a dedication. The dedications are thought-provoking and powerful.  They give us a positive focus for the day and allow us to deepen our awareness as we navigate our way through life. I enjoy coming up with a new dedication for each day.  Below are seven dedications I have presented in my teachings.  The dedications have allowed the yoga community and me to deepen our perspectives on life. (Tune in to my online yoga sessions to hear daily dedications View Class Schedule)

Dedication to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This dedication came on the Monday following Justice Ginsburg’s death. The main message in this dedication is as follows: Do not despair. Don’t let yourself go quiet. Justice Ginsburg never stopped trying and neither should we.  The quote I love best from Justice Ginsburg:

“When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.”

Dedication to Space.  Space in yoga is known as akasha. Akasha is the most subtle of elements. Space is open and all-inclusive. It contains earth, water, fire, wind (air). Dedicating a class to space reminds us to be free, free of worry and stress, and to be free spirited. When our minds are free, we can be creative. Dedicating a class to space reminds us that we are free to stretch our bodies, our minds, our spirits. The idea that akasha is all-inclusive reminds us that we, too, can practice inclusiveness when it comes to how we interact with others.  Contemplation on space lends itself to freedom of mind, body, and spirit.

“In truth, there is enormous space in which to live our everyday lives.” Pema Chodron, American Tibetan Buddhist

Dedication to Friendship. (Thank you Daphne for the inspiration.) We all know that cultivating strong friendships has a huge impact on happiness and enjoyment of life.  Appreciate your friends and always note the feelings of care, respect, admiration, and concern that you share with your friends.

Winnie the Pooh: “If you live to be 100, I hope to live to be 100 minus one day so I never have to live without you.”

Audrey Hepburn: “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others. For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness, and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

Dedication to Clarity. (Thank you, Rick, for the inspiration.) One of the women who takes my online yoga classes is named Clare. She was quite excited about this dedication as it spoke directly to the beautiful name her parents gave her. Here is the mantra on clarity I came up with and which we repeated throughout our yoga practice on our Dedication to Clarity:

I honor the clarity of the present moment and the stillness at the center of my being.

And with the dedication to clarity, I came across this meaningful poem by Aisha S. Kingu, a Tanzanian Writer and Poet:

Clarity is the Secret

Clarity is the Weapon

Make it clear

See it happen

Make it clear

See it becoming

Dedication to Slowing Down.  One key to happiness is to enjoy a slower pace of life.  Give yourself time to re-calibrate. Don’t miss out on important moments. Slow down when you eat so you can fully enjoy your meal. Take part in the slow food movement. Slow down and listen to your breathing.  Slow down your way of speaking and choose each word to precisely express what you want to say. Slow down and take time to really listen to the music you love. Slow down and relax with family and friends. Slow down and feel your skin caressed by the wind, warmed by the sun, moistened by the rain.  As Lao Tsu said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the now the primary focus of your life. -Eckart Tolle,  The Power of Now

Dedication to Inter-generational Connections. (photo above: Me with Maria, producer of ricotta, and her multi-generational family, Sicily) I really love this dedication!  On the day of this dedication, many of the yogis who took the class contacted me and told me they made more of an effort to spend quality time with friends and family members of varying ages. With inter-generational connections, we find commonalities between ourselves and teens, children, elders, and our contemporaries.  We realize we can learn from each other, no matter what age your friend or family member is. Be inspired by youth. Be inspired by your contemporaries. Be inspired by you elders. Be a role model for them.  And recognize role models in friends and family members of varying ages.

Dedication to Deep and Simple Living (Thank you, Joy, for the inspiration!). Influenced by Mr Roger’s favorite book written by Bo Lozoff , “Deep and Simple”.  I think the words deep and simple say it all.  Keep life simple and stress will fall away.  Don’t make anything more complicated than it needs to be! Simplify and open up space and time to enjoy life more fully. P.S. I think Mister Rogers was a very wise human, well ahead of his time!

Deep and Simple is far more essential than Shallow and Complex. -Mister Rogers

Readers: I would love to hear your ideas for dedications! I will incorporate them in my future classes.